Italy - Sailing yacht sank off Italian coast, 15 rescued, 7 missing, 19 August 2024

[Tortoise]

Did anyone ever report anything about a second life raft being deployed? Because all 15 who survived were in one life raft made for 12, and the chef was found deceased in the water, but I do wonder how the remaining six would have fared even if they had made it up on deck. Nine of the 15 survivors in the raft were crew members, including the Captain.

 

[otto]

Sixteen minutes is estimated time to escape the sinking boat. They put out of life raft with mostly staff and some guests. How much time did they have for the life raft 1-2 minutes?

Something about anchor drag, and another ship in the area had the same anchor drag. A water spout that tilted, twisted and turned the boat put the top of the boat at water level at 4 a.m. Unsure about open latches.

Six guests survived, nine crew members survived. The chef didn't. Five-six guests did not survive.

Did the owner go down with the ship after successfully defeating a 13 year lawsuit? With his 18 year old daughter, who was set to read English at Oxford, by his side?

 

[Alyce]

Manslaughter probe is launched over sinking of Bayesian superyacht

The Prosecutor's Office of Termini Imerese, led by Ambrogio Cartosio, is investigating why the luxury vessel capsized off the coast near Palermo shortly before 5am on Monday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

The body of Mike Lynch's missing daughter Hannah has been recovered from the wreck of the Bayesian superyacht, as Italian authorities begin a manslaughter investigation into the sinking.

Sixth body is found in wreck of Bayesian superyacht

Vincenzo Zagarola, of the Italian Coastguard, said the search for Hannah has not been 'easy or quick', comparing the sunken yacht to an '18-storey building full of water'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[bmacmillan1]

The body of Mike Lynch's missing daughter Hannah has been recovered from the wreck of the Bayesian superyacht, as Italian authorities begin a manslaughter investigation into the sinking.

Sixth body is found in wreck of Bayesian superyacht

Vincenzo Zagarola, of the Italian Coastguard, said the search for Hannah has not been 'easy or quick', comparing the sunken yacht to an '18-storey building full of water'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

This has made it all feel so real now, it's just tragic.
Manslaughter?...

 

[SouthAussie]

Manslaughter?...

Seems unrealistic, if the yacht was hit by a waterspout. Especially if it was a tornadic waterspout.
The yacht may have been able to weather the storm, but not the waterspout. I don't think anyone can really predict a waterspout. And it would not have been visible in the dark at 4:00 am.

Though it usually occurs in warm and humid areas, the accurate forecast of waterspouts would be a slim chance, owing to the unpredictable nature of the events.

8 Facts About Waterspouts at Sea

Marine Insight - The maritime industry guide.

www.marineinsight.com

imo

 

[Yellowbelly]

Seems unrealistic, if the yacht was hit by a waterspout. Especially if it was a tornadic waterspout.
The yacht may have been able to weather the storm, but not the waterspout. I don't think anyone can really predict a waterspout. And it would not have been visible in the dark at 4:00 am.

Though it usually occurs in warm and humid areas, the accurate forecast of waterspouts would be a slim chance, owing to the unpredictable nature of the events.

8 Facts About Waterspouts at Sea

Marine Insight - The maritime industry guide.

www.marineinsight.com

imo

I think the point is that it should have been able to survive it, like the 'Baden Powell' next to it did. What the Italians are investigating is their equivalent of the British 'manslaughter through gross negligence', in other words, was the handling of the ship by the crew so negligent that they are culpable in the loss of the ship and the deaths of the passengers.

 

[SouthAussie]

I think the point is that it should have been able to survive it, like the 'Baden Powell' next to it did. What the Italians are investigating is their equivalent of the British 'manslaughter through gross negligence', in other words, was the handling of the ship by the crew so negligent that they are culpable in the loss of the ship and the deaths of the passengers.

I certainly agree there needs to be an investigation. But there are experts (already) who disagree with it being due to negligence. It is going to be a matter of different expert opinions. imo
Obviously the yacht was not unsinkable (as the yacht builder claims). It sank.


Marine experts believe the large waterspout — a slim column of spinning air below a thunderstorm that occurs over water — was a “black swan event” or a weather phenomenon characterized by its extreme rarity and severe impact

“That water carries significant weight,” Matthew Schanck, chairman of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told the Times. “And if the waterspout ends up dumping a load of that water on board the vessel, that’s going to cause significant damage.”

‘Black swan’ weather phenomenon may have sunk Bayesian yacht, experts say

 

[Rikissa]

Did the owner go down with the ship after successfully defeating a 13 year lawsuit? With his 18 year old daughter, who was set to read English at Oxford, by his side?

The yacht was owned by Angela Barcares (Mrs Lynch), maybe only on the paper, but still legally, and she survived, loosing both her husband, and daughter.

 

[Tortoise]

30m ago13:13

Tributes pour in for Hannah Lynch​

Tributes are pouring in for 18-year-old Hannah Lynch.
A friend of Ms Lynch, Katya Lewis, described her as a "warm and beautiful soul".
"Being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy," she said.

The head of English at Latymer Upper School, Jon Mitropoulos-Monk, said he had never taught someone who "combined sky-high intellectual ability with warmth and enthusiasm in the way Hannah did".
"She lit up the classroom with her energy, passion for learning and sheer intelligence."
Mr Mitropoulos-Monk described her as one of the best English students in the country, scoring 100% in her English literature GCSE.
"She loved literature, learning and life. She was so excited to start studying English at Oxford, a goal she had worked so hard towards."
One of Hannah's classmates, Gracie Lea, said she thought of "poetry, sunshine, and her beautiful eyes" when she thought of Ms Lynch.
"I'll always remember her smiling," she added.
Patrick Jacob, a family friend, said: "Hannah was charming and ferociously intelligent with an insatiable thirst for life and knowledge.
"I am 50 years older than her and in my life I have never met anybody like Hannah. We have lost one of our brightest stars whose future held so much promise."

28m ago13:15

Friend pays tribute to 'brilliant mind' Mike Lynch​

More tributes have come in now for Hannah's father, Mike Lynch, whose body was recovered yesterday.
Close friend Andrew Kanter called him "the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known".

"There is simply no other UK technology entrepreneur of our generation who has had such an impact on so many people.
"His passion for life, knowledge and all those around him was instantly inspiring to everyone he met, and he will be sorely missed."
Sushovan Hussain, a colleague and friend of Mr Lynch since school, said he and his wife were "utterly devastated by the deaths of so many of our dear friends".
"His departure leaves an unfillable hole in my life. We have known Hannah since her birth, and for her to be taken on the precipice of her life is cruel beyond belief.
"Our hearts bleed for Angela and her remaining daughter."

13m ago13:31

'Unspeakable grief': Lynch family releases statement​

A spokesperson for the Lynch family has released a statement.
"The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends.
"Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy.
"They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue.
"Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief."


Superyacht sinks latest: Family of Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah release statement - after divers recover body of final missing person

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Did anyone ever report anything about a second life raft being deployed? Because all 15 who survived were in one life raft made for 12, and the chef was found deceased in the water, but I do wonder how the remaining six would have fared even if they had made it up on deck. Nine of the 15 survivors in the raft were crew members, including the Captain.

So sad Tortoise. And yet the ratio of surviving crew to passengers is unsettling IMO. Including the captain. For some reason the story of Bruce Ismay and Titanic comes to mind. MOO

 

[Elley Mae]

This has made it all feel so real now, it's just tragic.
Manslaughter?...

I do have to wonder if this was a regular joe blow family and friends would manslaughter charges be brought.

Strange to me.

Jmo

 

[ch_13]

I do have to wonder if this was a regular joe blow family and friends would manslaughter charges be brought.

Strange to me.

Jmo

No charges have been brought, the Italian authorities have simply opened an investigation. And regardless of who was on board, I believe an investigation would be launched if a state-of-the-art yacht sank in what many believe were survivable conditions and resulted in multiple people dying.

I think people are getting hung up on the word 'manslaughter', but that's a term used in legal systems that are based on English common law. I doubt it has any meaning under Italian law. I suspect something is getting lost in translation, and they are just conducting a criminal investigation to understand why the yacht sank and if the actions and/or inactions of the captain and crew were responsible.

I imagine it's the same type of investigation that the Italian authorities launched some years ago after the sinking of the Costa Concordia. I don't see anything strange about it.

 

[mickey2942]

I wonder what type of emergency drills or procedures had been practiced? And if any of those measures had been taken? An alarm or something to alert passengers to danger?

 

[Cryptic]

And yet the ratio of surviving crew to passengers is unsettling IMO. Including the captain. For some reason the story of Bruce Ismay and Titanic comes to mind. MOO

A quiet voice is telling me that your observation could be valid.

I would not be surprised if owner and guest cabins tend to be higher up, to take advantage of the more expansive views. Would this also have been close to the life boats? Yet, as you noted, the crew verse passenger ratio of survivors is noticeable.

As @SouthAussie mentioned, this could be due to more crew on deck struggling to save the ship and thus able to escape.

But... maybe the ratio points to something hardwired in us as humans: When seconds count, are we more inclined to ensure the safety of people that we truly know and are truly close to over people that we don't know? If so, duty obligations may get, well...."tossed over board" in favor of natural instincts.

 

[branmuffin]

Sixteen minutes is estimated time to escape the sinking boat. They put out of life raft with mostly staff and some guests. How much time did they have for the life raft 1-2 minutes?

Something about anchor drag, and another ship in the area had the same anchor drag. A water spout that tilted, twisted and turned the boat put the top of the boat at water level at 4 a.m. Unsure about open latches.

Six guests survived, nine crew members survived. The chef didn't. Five-six guests did not survive.

Did the owner go down with the ship after successfully defeating a 13 year lawsuit? With his 18 year old daughter, who was set to read English at Oxford, by his side?

There were other boats out there but only the Beyesian sank. If the engine had been running they probably had a much better chance of surviving since the boat could have steered into the swells instead of being rolled over by them. I think everything that happened here was human error - mostly the captain's but I also think the design, which was lauded as a masterpiece had something to do with it: very beamy for the length, mast manufactured more than the usual 1.5 ratio, and having the keel partially up.

I don't find it unusual for the crew to be up and ready but that may have been the reason the hatches were open. There is a video of the yacht during the storm, it remained upright but you can see it yawing then slowly tipping over. You can see the mast lights slowly moving down and with the boat having a wider than normal beam for the length of the boat it didn't take long for it to be completely inundated. The mast never broke, it remained in one piece with the yacht lying on its side in the water.

When you look at the specs of the boat it appears it had both too many passengers and deckhands. The specs say up to 10 guests and up to 9 crew. Maybe they didn't count the baby and mom who stayed up on deck.

56.0m Bayesian Superyacht | Luxury Sail Yacht

Bayesian is a luxury sail yacht built in 2008 by Perini Navi. Click for more information about this superyacht, including specifications, images, video and…

www.superyachts.com

I wonder how difficult it is to be the captain of a billionaire's vessel and whether they have a tendency to override the wishes of the captain. At this point in time, the surviving spouse is the literal owner but who generally instructed the captain?

 

[Tortoise]

How sad and eerie to see the yacht pictured the night before this happened, none of them aware of their fate. IMO


1h ago14:44

Cranes, 40 divers and almost £13m needed to salvage yacht​

A little earlier, a marine investigator told Sky News the yacht may have to be lifted off the seabed as part of the probe.
Now Nick Sloane, who led the operation to recover the Costa Concordia cruise liner that sank in 2012, says it would cost up to €15m (£12.7m) to salvage the Bayesian.
He told daily La Repubblica the operation would take six to eight weeks including preparation work.
Mr Sloane, a South Africa engineer, said it would have to be completed by mid-October, without specifying the reasons for the timing.

The Bayesian near Santa Flavia, Italy, on Sunday Baia Santa Nicolicchia/Fabio La Bianca/via Reuters

He said platforms would be built and a ten day operation would take place involving cranes and 40 divers.
Bringing the yacht to the surface will have to be done "very, very slowly", and might take a couple of days alone, he said.
"The ship has to be recovered as it is, in one piece, trying to keep it intact as much as possible."

Superyacht sinks latest: Family of Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah release statement - after divers recover body of final missing person

 

[PrairieWind]

Seems unrealistic, if the yacht was hit by a waterspout. Especially if it was a tornadic waterspout.
The yacht may have been able to weather the storm, but not the waterspout. I don't think anyone can really predict a waterspout. And it would not have been visible in the dark at 4:00 am.

Though it usually occurs in warm and humid areas, the accurate forecast of waterspouts would be a slim chance, owing to the unpredictable nature of the events.

8 Facts About Waterspouts at Sea

Marine Insight - The maritime industry guide.

www.marineinsight.com

imo

I think this may just be the way these type of investigations happen in Italy. Like in France, even plane crash investigations are "criminal" and directed by prosecutors. Its just the process they use. People are dead that shouldn't be, so they use a criminal process to investigate.

 

[branmuffin]

A quiet voice is telling me that your observation could be valid.

I would not be surprised if owner and guest cabins tend to be higher up, to take advantage of the more expansive views. Would this also have been close to the life boats? Yet, as you noted, the crew verse passenger ratio of survivors is noticeable.

As @SouthAussie mentioned, this could be due to more crew on deck struggling to save the ship and thus able to escape.

But... maybe the ratio points to something hardwired in us as humans: When seconds count, are we more inclined to ensure the safety of people that we truly know and are truly close to over people that we don't know? If so, duty obligations may get, well...."tossed over board" in favor of natural instincts.

I believe the passenger suites were below the crew accommodations. Which is unusual since generally when people think about millionaire's boats they think about the luxury suites with balconies, dance floors and bars with outdoor areas for lounging, etc. This is a true sailing vessel more like a racing yacht, imo, so I don't think the accommodations reflect how I usually visualize passenger cabins.

 

[Ruthbullock]

Floor plans are here- all beds are on the lower deck, the inflatable life raft was used. The other life raft was a solid tender vehicle that would have had to be released. It will be obvious how aware the deceased were beforehand, if they were trapped wearing life vests or not.

BAYESIAN Yacht Layout / General Arrangement Plans (ex. Salute) - Perini Navi Yachts

Interactive, detailed layout / general arrangement of BAYESIAN, the 56m Perini Navi Yachts super yacht with naval architecture by Ron Holland Design with an interior by Remi Tessier

www.yachtcharterfleet.com